A Day at the Carnival
by talklove
Summary: Ike bit off more than he could chew. What a sore loser. One-shot.


The place was lively and crowded.

Lights, music, sounds of the arcade, laughter, chatter.

People were up and about, enjoying themselves while scurrying to explore every inch of the annual carnival at Delfino Plaza. It was a wondrous place, with extravagant decorations, booths for games, and food; it truly was a family friendly environment. Children seemed to enjoy most out of it, running around, dragging their parents from one ride to another. Couples who just sought a nice date were roaming around, hand in hand lovingly. Even old geezers were enjoying the atmosphere, whilst watching people pass by.

Among these people who were having some fun themselves, were the smashers from Smash Mansion, taking a break from their ongoing and exhausting tournament. People greeted them with smiles, handshakes, and standing ovations upon catching them in their sights, even the villains. But they were not there to be swooned over and to be congratulated on their progression of the tournament; they were there to have fun and to relax, to escape the isolating, suffocating walls of the mansion.

The group split up, off to find their own things to do and their own places to go. Namely, they all stayed in their own little cliques: the youngsters (with the supervision of Mario, Luigi, and Peach), the villains, the older smashers, the swordsmen, the humanoids, the Pokémon and the rest.

"So where do you guys want to head off to?" Roy asked questioningly to his fellow peers, Marth, Ike, Link and Zelda. The princess, of course, didn't count as a swordsman and therefore wasn't a part of their usual little group. But with Peach busy running around the place looking after the youngsters along with the two Italian brothers, Zelda had no choice but to stick with Link. She certainly didn't want in on babysitting.

"I don't know," Ike said, putting his hands behind his head while shrugging, "Anywhere you guys want. 'Don't really care." Roy turned hopefully to the others, only receiving careless shrugs from Marth and Link, while Zelda looked off somewhere, intently watching the humanoids, Fox, Wolf and Falco competitively go at it at a duck target shooting booth.

'Be the first to shoot 50 ducks and win the grand prize!' the sign hanging above said.

"You both are going down, losers!" Wolf taunted, cackling while taking down every duck popping up, occasionally missing one. Fox and Falco were too occupied to say anything back in response.

Zelda held on to Link's arm to gain his attention, while gracefully pointing to where the three were, "Why don't we go over there and join them? That looks quite amusing." The group turned to look at what she was talking about.

Roy grinned while about to run over, "Yeah, let's go! I've always wanted to try that. Come on, Zelda!" He quickly grabbed the princess's hand and dragged her with him towards the booth much to her surprise. Link, Marth, and Ike exchanged glances but then shrugged and followed them. At least they'll have something to do, it looked entertaining enough.

As they approached, Fox, Wolf and Falco had just ended their game with Falco emerging as the winner. "Congratulations, sir!" the young fellow in charge of the booth said excitedly while handing Falco his prize, a giant plush rubber duck.

"In your faces, dunces," Falco sneered while hoisting up the duck on his arms. Wolf was not too happy about losing, especially to Falco by three mere points. "We're playing another round and this time I'll win," he growled fiercely.

"Hey, I'll play too!" Roy chimed in while stationing himself at one of the spots, already handling the rifle in his hands. "Suit yourself, I ain't playing another game," Fox said, huffing, "Have fun." And with that and a small wave, he and Falco, with his duck in his arms, left to go find something else to do. "Bah, you guys are no fun," Wolf stomped off, not intending to be around his new company.

"I think I'll take his place then," Marth, standing beside Roy, carefully taking the rifle in his own hands and observed it, "Although I don't know how to use this particular contraption properly. But it does look like fun."

Link rolled his eyes and positioned himself next to the prince, handling another rifle, "You're hopeless Marth. Even _I_ know how to work this." After a short demonstrative tutorial with basic instructions, Marth "decently" had the hang of it and they started their game.

Ike stood next to Zelda, about to speculate the game from behind the three.

"How is it that you're not joining in on the fun, Ike?" Zelda asked, glancing at the mercenary beside her as the first round of ducks popped up. He merely shrugged and crossed his arms as they both watched Marth hysterically trying to aim and shoot.

"I'd crush these losers," Ike scoffed, "Look, they're missing like every duck that pops up. If I'd join in, I'd win hands down. No competition, no fun." Zelda laughed.

"Arrogant, now, are we?" Zelda nudged his side with her elbow and smiled, "Why don't we have a round? Just the two of us, one-on-one. I bet I'll be some competition." Ike looked at her, like she had said something utterly ridiculous and stupid.

"You? Princess?" Ike then snickered, "It's alright. I wouldn't want to humiliate your-highness." Zelda pouted and nudged his side again but this time harder.

"I'll have you know that I have sharp eyes, excellent hand eye coordination and my aiming is superb," she said dignified.

"Yeah, that's when it comes to archery," Ike said nonchalantly. But of course, he was right. The princess was just as good, if not better, at archery as Link. Zelda puffed up her cheeks in annoyance.

"Archery isn't the same as handling a gun, Princess," he added.

"How about this," Zelda said, carefully, "If you win, I'll treat you to all you want of that meat dish you oh-so adore over there." She pointed off to another booth that was selling food. He had been planning on stopping by there later, too. Ike stared at her then at the booth.

That was actually a fine proposition. His mouth watered at the mere thought of those delicious slabs of cooked meat. They were irresistible and juicy…and there was no way that he would pass it up.

"And if you win?" Ike asked slowly, curious to know what her end of the deal was.

Zelda giggled and brushed her hair with her slim fingers, "If _I_ win, for the rest of time here at the carnival, you'll serve as my pack mule, follow me wherever I go and carry all my things while I go shopping around the plaza. Is it a deal?"

Ike glanced at Zelda then at the booth again, then back and forth. He couldn't resist any longer.

"Fine," he said quickly. And just then at that moment, the others' game ended with Link victorious.

"But first," Ike's smug look returned as he 'graciously' motioned to the shooting booth, "Wouldn't your-highness want a warm up round? You know, to be more prepared and ready, and then a loss won't seem as bad as it really is." He was so sure of his chances of winning against the princess and she could clearly see that. It was written all over his cocky face.

Zelda laughed lightly and said playfully with a hint of sarcasm, "Of course. You're as smug as ever. I wouldn't want to humiliate myself in front of Sir Ike Almighty." Ike smirked as she left his side. After Link received his prize (another giant duck), Zelda took his place next to Marth and elegantly handled the rifle, "My turn."

"Really now, Zelda?" Roy asked incredulously, "Are you sure you want to play?" Zelda smiled at him with playfully with one eyebrow raised.

"What is it Roy? Intimidated?"

"Of course not!" Roy said quickly, "I just didn't want you to-"

"Oh, just shut up already and let's start the new game," Marth said impatiently. He wasn't aiming to win, but he was determined to prove that he wasn't completely hopeless with anything else other than a sword.

Meanwhile, Ike stood next to Link and watched with his arms folded, apprehensive while waiting to be amused by Zelda's failure. He was really going to enjoy this. How can a Princess from a medieval-like age know how to superbly work a gun?

The three positioned themselves and made their rifles ready.

And the game started. The ducks began to pop up and they began to shoot. Ike and Link gaped at Zelda in utter shock; she was hitting every single duck that popped up in her row, missing none. Ten down. Twenty down. Thirty down. One down every second. Left, right. Up, below.

The princess was not frantically pulling the trigger and wasting cork bullets like Marth and Roy. She was calm and focused. Her cork bullets landed dead on the targets painted on the ducks' sides, professionally aiming and steadily pulling the trigger with ease. Forty down.

Fifty.

And the dinging noise of the end of the game sounded. Ike was completely taken by surprise. He stood there, frozen in his place with his mouth wide open. Unbelievable. He had no idea that Zelda was so…handy with firearms. The only female he knew with that much skill with a gun was Samus.

And when Zelda said that her aim was superb she wasn't kidding.

The princess laughed heartily and turned around to face Ike, rifle in one hand and one hand on her hip. "So Ike," she said sheepishly, "Ready to be my slave for the day?"

The mercenary gulped.

He really did bite off more than he could chew.

**xOxIxOx**

_Yeaaah, I really didn't know how to end this. And at first, this story was just meant for Zelda, but then, (as always) Ike always made it in. haha. Guiltyly. __**Thanks for reading! Review? Comments/critiques/suggestions are all welcome!**_


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